Find cheap Pacific Coastal flights

Pacific Coastal Airlines is a regional carrier that serves 20 airport destinations across British Columbia, specializing in access to remote, underserved communities that larger Canadian carriers like Air Canada or WestJet don’t reach. The airline operates a turboprop fleet with a straightforward, no-frills approach. As a Victoria-born, Vancouver-based travel journalist, I’ve flown Pacific Coastal for ski vacations, bear-watching expeditions, Indigenous cultural explorations and family visits throughout BC’s vast terrain.

Why travel on Pacific Coastal Airlines?

Pacific Coastal Airlines fills a crucial gap in British Columbia’s aviation network, flying to numerous destinations that larger Canadian carriers like Air Canada or WestJet don’t reach. Prices are relatively affordable, though this isn’t a budget carrier per se. To put the route network in perspective, British Columbia is larger than France and Germany combined and nearly four times bigger than Great Britain, yet it’s sparsely populated outside major southern cities.

The airline’s network spans the following areas:

• Mainland BC: Vancouver (YVR South Terminal hub), Anahim Lake, Bella Coola, Cranbrook, Kamloops, Kelowna, Penticton, Powell River, Prince George, Quesnel, Trail, and Williams Lake

• Coastal BC: Bella Bella (on Campbell Island)

• Vancouver Island: Campbell River, Comox, Nanaimo, Port Hardy, Tofino/Ucluelet, and Victoria

• Haida Gwaii: Masset

Affiliate airline Wilderness Seaplanes extends access to additional destinations along the south coast of British Columbia.

Learning about the Pacific Coastal Airlines fleet

Pacific Coastal Airlines operates three turboprop aircraft types: the Saab 340B, Beechcraft 1900C, and Beechcraft 1900D. The key difference for passengers is that the Saab 340B has 34 seats and an onboard lavatory, while Beechcraft planes have 19 seats and no lavatory. I always check flight times and plan my coffee consumption accordingly (only a handful of Pacific Coastal flights run longer than two hours).

Don’t expect in-flight movies, music, or Wi-Fi on these reliable, minimalist planes. Download entertainment to your mobile device before boarding. You can grab Soar, the Pacific Coastal Airlines magazine, for articles on BC adventures from skiing in Vernon to exploring Vancouver Island’s cider scene (full disclosure: I’m a longtime contributor). From a window seat, I enjoy admiring fog-swept coastal mountains and vast Interior forests.

Seats and leg room on Pacific Coastal Airlines

If you’re a tall person like myself, the amount of leg room on Pacific Coastal Airlines isn’t amazing, but it is adequate. Aboard the Saab 340B, seat width is 18 inches and seat depth is 19 inches. On the Beechcraft 1900 series, it’s quite comparable: seat width is 17.5 inches and seat depth is 19 inches. Advance seat selection is available and is free for Encore fares, though there is a fee for Basic, Bravo, and Classic fare types.

Carry-on baggage information

Pacific Coastal Airlines allows two carry-on items at no extra charge: one carry-on bag (up to 9 x 15.5 x 21.5 inches, 22 pounds maximum) and one personal item like a laptop bag or purse (up to 6 x 13 x 17 inches, 22 pounds maximum). I always pack smart since the cabins aren’t overly spacious. Planeside valet service is available for larger carry-on items. If you’re flying on the smaller Beechcraft planes, there are no overhead bins, so expect to use valet service.

Checked baggage information

The maximum weight for each checked bag is 50 pounds. Fees for checked bags vary depending on whether you paid for this service more than or less than 24 hours ahead of your flight. See the Pacific Coastal Airlines website for the latest specific requirements for transporting musical instruments, equipment from bicycles to scuba gear, pets, and car seats for children.

Check-in and preboard screening for Pacific Coastal Airlines

Check-in and security screening with Pacific Coastal Airlines are as easy and low-key as you could ask for, in my experience. Plan to check in at least 60 minutes before departure, as check-in closes 40 minutes before your scheduled flight. The airline recommends dropping bags 60 minutes before departure, with checked baggage acceptance also closing at 40 minutes. Preboard screening applies when flying to secured airports: Campbell River, Comox, Cranbrook, Kamloops, Kelowna, Penticton, Prince George, Williams Lake, Vancouver, and Victoria (note that flights departing from an unsecured airport to Vancouver are not required to go through preboard screening).

Headquarters at Vancouver International Airport (YVR)

Especially for out-of-province travellers, most trips with Pacific Coastal Airlines will begin or end at the South Terminal at Vancouver International Airport (YVR), which serves as the airline’s head office and base. A short drive south of the main terminal, close to the banks of the Fraser River, the South Terminal feels relaxing and spacious. It welcomes approximately half a million travellers a year.

You’ll find the Pacific Coastal Airlines check-in counter on the far left when facing the terminal. I usually grab a pre-flight coffee at the Galiano Cafe, which also has tasty organic soups, salads, deli sandwiches, and wraps. You’ll find free Wi-Fi throughout the South Terminal.

Shuttle service at YVR for Pacific Coastal Airlines

Free shuttles run between YVR’s main terminal and the South Terminal every 30 minutes, taking 15 to 20 minutes for the trip (15 minutes from the Domestic Terminal, 20 minutes from the International Terminal). You’ll find pickup points outside the Departures Level 3 International Terminal near the U.S. Departures check-in area and outside the Departures Level 3 Domestic Terminal. You can also grab a taxi or rideshare like Uber or Lyft. Living in downtown Vancouver, I typically take the Canada Line train to YVR and time my arrival to catch a South Terminal shuttle departure.

Parking at the Vancouver airport for Pacific Coastal Airlines

Bringing your own car? You’ll find tons of parking spots adjacent to the South Terminal. There’s also a public overflow parking lot just off Cowley Crescent. YVR has recently won awards from the Chicago-based Airports Going Green forum, and in keeping with that, there are two Level 2 electric vehicle stalls where you can plug in.

Change and cancellation policies

Like most airlines, Pacific Coastal Airlines has more lenient change and cancellation policies if you book a higher-tier fare such as Encore. Given how many remote destinations are serviced, I always take into account the possibility of itinerary changes. Once, I was booked on Pacific Coastal Airlines to fly into the town of Bella Coola in the Great Bear Rainforest, but inclement weather obliged us to land instead in Anahim Lake, which lies a two-hour drive east of Bella Coola.

Accessibility on Pacific Coastal Airlines

As someone with older relatives with limited mobility, it’s nice to see that even a relatively spartan airline like Pacific Coastal Airlines is committed to accessibility for all. It accommodates certified trained service dogs (with 72 hours’ advance notice and documentation), mobility aids including wheelchairs, canes, and walkers at no additional charge, and battery-powered Portable Oxygen Concentrators (POCs), subject to safety conditions and approved models. See the airline website for more details.

History of Pacific Coastal Airlines

The airline was the brainchild of Daryl Smith, a Bella Coola-raised truck logger. Smith’s original goal was to make it simpler to access remote logging camps, and as a young man, he pursued his ambition by buying a seaplane and getting his pilot’s licence. Early in his career, he operated a coastal bush plane operation called Wilderness Seaplanes, which still exists as an affiliate airline of Pacific Coastal Airlines.

Pacific Coastal Airlines came into existence through a merger between Powell Air and Air BC, brokered by Smith and Ian Harris.

Today, it’s the third-largest airline at Vancouver airport in terms of take-offs and landings, and the 13th-largest by total outbound seats.